Gerhard Wilck

Gerhard Wilck (17 June 1898-5 April 1985) was an Oberst in the German Wehrmacht during World War II who served as the commandant of the city of Aachen.

Biography
Gerhard Wilck was born on 17 June 1898 in Loebau, West Prussia, German Empire (present-day Lubawa, Poland), and he fought on the Western Front of World War I, being promoted to Lieutenant. On 27 August 1939, he was given command of a reserve battalion of the Wehrmacht shortly before the start of World War II, and he was promoted to Oberst (Colonel) on 1 April 1942. On 1 September 1944, Wilck was given command of the 246th Volksgrenadier Division in the city of Aachen, western Germany, and he fought against the US Army when it attacked Aachen in October 1944. Wilck decided to defy Adolf Hitler's orders and surrender the city to the Allied Powers to prevent the further destruction of the city, and he was imprisoned in Trent Park, England until March 1945. He died in Rheinbreitbach, West Germany in 1985.